ï

Diaeresis

Level 2

The two dots on ï show that the i is a separate sound.

How It Works

After a, e or o, the letter i usually joins the vowel in one sound (aiga, mai). When it must stay separate, it carries two dots.

OccitanSyllablesEnglish
paíspa-íscountry
païsespa-i-sescountries
traïdortra-i-dortraitor

In the singular país, the stress is on the last syllable, and the acute accent shows it. In the plural païses, the stress falls on the regular syllable, so the accent disappears and the dots take over. Keep the dots in every form of the word. They are part of the spelling, just as an accent is.

The dots do not change the stress. They only show that the two vowels are separate.

Examples (3)

  1. Los païses son grands.

    The countries are big.

    The dots keep a and i apart in païses.

  2. Es un traïdor.

    He is a traitor.

    The dots keep a and i apart in traïdor.

  3. Aquel país es grand.

    That country is big.

    In the singular the stress is marked by í.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the dots.

    Los paises son grands.
    Los païses son grands.

    Without the dots, ai would be read as one sound. Païses has two syllables after pa.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ïLevel 2Diaeresis

Learn This First

The diaeresis on ï separates two vowels that would otherwise be a diphthong, so diphthongs and the written accents come first.